Celtics hold off Pistons rally en route to 102-95 win

The slumping Knicks will try to tighten things up as they try to avoid their fifth straight road loss Thursday night against a Detroit team that will likely be without Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, who owns the second-longest active games played streak.

Reggie Jackson netted 17 for Detroit while Andre Drummond had 16 points and 13 boards in defeat.

The Celtics boast a unique scoring attack with seven players averaging 9+ points per game led by recently named All-Star, Isaiah Thomas.

According to oddsmakers at BetDSI, the Pistons are favored in this game, as they are getting odds of -5.5 points against the Knicks.

All 10 Celtics who played in the first half scored, including 21 points from the bench.

That philosophy has worked for many, including guard Isaiah Thomas, who said he doesn’t remember anything from their last game against the Cavs other than the fact that Boston lost.

Boston Celtics guard Avery Bradley (0) shoots over Detroit Pistons forward Darrun Hilliard (6) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Boston, Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2016. All-Star center Andrew Drummond posted 16 points and 13 rebounds, while forward Ersan Ilyasova and Marcus Morris had 16 and 15 points, respectively, Morris with seven rebounds and four assists.

Detroit has split its last eight games road games and will be looking to win two in a row away from home for the first time since a three-game run from December 11-22, 2015.

This will be the Celtics’ first trip to Cleveland since Game 2 of last season’s first-round playoff matchup.

On the season, the Cavs are scoring an average of 105.3 points per home contest, which ranks 1st in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics, however, have followed with nine wins in 12 games to climb up the East standings and tie Southeast Division-leading Atlanta for the third-best record in the conference. “It’s not even worth taking about – we just have to improve”. The Cleveland Cavaliers are averaging 102.2 points on 45.7 percent shooting and allowing 96.7 points on 44.5 percent shooting. Johnson has been playing some of the best ball of his young career as of late, and the Pistons will need him to keep that going. The latest news from the trade rumor mill is that Boston Celtics big man David Lee may be on his way out of Beantown as the team is reportedly trying to move him before the deadline.

They’re still mastering how to play with those cushions. The prognosis calls for at least another four weeks of rest and Van Gundy doesn’t see Meeks being able to help the team this season.

Caldwell-Pope, already bothered by an oblique injury, left in the second quarter.